Leading manufacturer of LSZH cables
At Custom Designed Cables, we design and manufacture custom LSZH cables for environments where fire safety and smoke behaviour matter as much as electrical performance. LSZH stands for low smoke zero halogen, and it describes a cable jacket and insulation formulation that produces very little smoke and no halogenic gases when exposed to fire.
That distinction matters more than it might sound. In a fire, the danger to people in enclosed spaces often comes from smoke and toxic gas long before flame reaches them. Dense smoke obscures escape routes, and halogen gases released by burning conventional cable are corrosive and harmful to breathe. An LSZH cable is engineered to avoid both.
With over 20 years’ experience, we manufacture bespoke LSZH cable to order for public buildings, transport systems, data centres and any environment where people, equipment or air quality need protecting.
What are halogens?
Halogens are a group of chemical elements including fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodine. They appear in many conventional cable materials because they perform well as flame retardants, with PVC being the most common example.
The problem is what happens when they burn. Halogenated materials release thick black smoke and acidic gases, most notably hydrogen chloride, which combines with moisture to form hydrochloric acid. That harms anyone breathing it, corrodes nearby metalwork, and can destroy sensitive electronic equipment well beyond the area actually damaged by fire.
LSZH compounds achieve flame retardancy through mineral fillers instead, typically aluminium or magnesium hydroxide, which release water vapour when heated rather than halogen gas.
Benefits of LSZH cable
Specifying LSZH cable delivers several practical advantages in the right environment:
- Significantly reduced smoke density, keeping escape routes visible
- No halogenic or acidic gas emission during combustion
- Lower toxicity risk to occupants during a fire
- Reduced corrosion damage to surrounding equipment and structures
- Flame retardant properties that limit fire spread along cable runs
- Compliance with fire safety requirements in public and enclosed spaces
It is worth being clear about what LSZH does and does not do. LSZH describes smoke and gas behaviour, not circuit integrity. Where a cable must continue operating during a fire, such as on emergency lighting or alarm circuits, you need fire resistant cables, which may also be specified with an LSZH jacket.
Where LSZH cables are used
LSZH cable is specified wherever a fire would put people in an enclosed space at risk, or where smoke and corrosive gas would cause disproportionate damage. Common applications include:
- Rail networks, underground systems and rolling stock
- Airports, stations and other public transport infrastructure
- Hospitals, schools and public buildings
- Data centres and server rooms
- Marine and offshore installations and confined vessel spaces
- Nuclear and defence facilities
- High-rise residential and commercial buildings
- Tunnels, plant rooms and other confined areas
Custom LSZH cable manufacturing
Most LSZH requirements are not satisfied by a standard catalogue part. As a bespoke manufacturer, we build LSZH cable to your specification rather than asking you to design around ours.
We can customise:
- Conductor size, material and stranding
- Core count and colour coding
- Wire insulation material and wall thickness
- Shielding configuration, including foil, braid or combination screens
- Jacket formulation, thickness and finish
- Overall diameter, flexibility and bend radius
- Cable printing and identification
- Drum, coil or cut lengths
Our engineering team works with you from initial concept through to production, and we can produce prototype cables for testing before committing to a full run.
Why choose Custom Designed Cables?
At Custom Designed Cables, we combine technical expertise with fast, reliable manufacturing to deliver bespoke cable solutions built around your exact requirements.
We offer:
- ISO 9001:2015 quality management
- UL & CSA approved options available on selected product ranges
- Fast turnaround times
- Bespoke cable design and manufacturing
- Access to a comprehensive materials library
- Free technical consultation and support
Frequently asked questions
What does LSZH stand for?
LSZH stands for low smoke zero halogen. It describes cable materials formulated to emit minimal smoke and no halogenic gases when exposed to fire.
What is the difference between LSZH and PVC cable?
PVC cable contains chlorine, a halogen, and produces dense smoke and corrosive hydrogen chloride gas when it burns. LSZH cable uses halogen-free compounds that produce far less smoke and no acidic gas, making it the safer option in enclosed or occupied spaces.
Is LSZH cable fire resistant?
Not automatically. LSZH describes smoke and gas emission behaviour rather than the ability to maintain a circuit during a fire. LSZH cables are typically flame retardant, but where a circuit must keep working in a fire you need a fire resistant cable, which can also be supplied with an LSZH jacket.
Where should LSZH cable be used?
LSZH cable is specified in enclosed and public environments where smoke and toxic gas present a risk to people or equipment, including rail and transport systems, hospitals, schools, data centres, marine vessels and high-rise buildings.
Can LSZH cables be made to a custom specification?
Yes. We manufacture bespoke LSZH cable to order, with control over conductor, insulation, shielding, jacket, core count, colour coding and printing to suit your application.
Get a quote for your LSZH cables
Looking for custom LSZH cables or advice on whether LSZH is the right specification for your project? Contact Custom Designed Cables today to discuss your requirements.
